Critic Reviews

Smash TV is one of the best shooting-style games on the NES. It has a lot of variety and it's easily one of the most, if not the most successful port of the arcade version considering all the factors. The two-controller option is highly original, the pace is fast and fun, it's just an all-around great title that I strongly recommend to any NES fans out there. Heck, if you're not even familiar with the original Smash TV, this is one I'd suggest you start with. When you compare it to something even closer to the arcades, like the SNES version, you'll be amazed what they were able to do here.

The sheer number of enemies on screen at one time is just jaw-dropping, and the frenetic gameplay just keeps you coming back for more. OK, the graphics and sound aren't exactly great, but who gives a toss about that when the gameplay's as good as this! Top stuff and highly recommended!

While the graphics aren’t great, they get
the job done, and average voice samples are squeezed in as well. If
you’re looking for a unique, frantic shooter, this is the game show
for you, with the two-player mode being a bonus blast.

Smash TV is a real laugh in the arcades and this Nintendo conversion is simply fantastic. Of course, the graphics and sound aren't half as stunning as the original Williams coin-op, but what it has got is the sheer excitement factor that the arcade machine delivered. The enclosed screen is very claustrophobic, making the urge to blast the sheer amount of enemy sprites on-screen even stronger. Making the action even more exciting are the superb weapons, blowing up legions of marauding sprites with a scatter grenade launcher has never been so much fun! With all of the different options and the two-player mode, Smash TV is simply a superlative purchase for any NES owner that enjoys shooting everywhere.

The lure of big money prizes is enough to get most contestants to risk their lives in Smash T.V., but wait, there's more! With the home version of Smash T.V. you can double your excitement and fun by using two controllers simultaneously! One controls your movement, the other your weaponry. Any pair of controllers will work! So if you have a pair of NES Advantages, for example, you can simulate the arcade feel (just make sure you tape down the two controllers so they don't slip around and don't forget to rotate your Advantages 90 degrees clockwise). With a NES Satellite or NES Four Score, two players can play with two controllers each.

Despite the worthless graphics, minor censorship, and sub-par predictions of the future (1999 was the year that Boy Bands and Rap/Rock Roamed the Earth), Smash T.V. translates well to the NES. Total Carnage. I like it.

All in all, Smash TV. is a lot of fun to play and Acclaim deserves a great deal of credit for being faithful to the arcade version of the game. The NES version is so much like the arcade that gamers can opt to use two controllers - one to move and one to fire with - just like in the arcade. One hint before you play: remember your opponent's strength is in sheer numbers. Give Smash TV. a try, you won't be disappointed.

Since Robotron, Berserk, and Frenzy were never released for the NES, you might want to give this game a shot. It's kind of fun if you can look past its weaknesses. Incidentally, Super Smash TV, a near-perfect translation of Smash TV, was released less than two years later for the Super Nintendo and the Sega Genesis.